Topic № 4 THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

I. Vocabulary:

1. be rich in - быть богатым чем-либо

2. be exercised - осуществляться кем-либо

3. border on - граничить с

4. Copper - медь

5. cover - занимать

6. the Far East - Дальний Восток

7. head of state - глава государства

8. iron ore - железная руда

9. legislative - законодательный

10. mountain chain - горная цепь

11. the Pacific Ocean - Тихий океан

12. Parliamentary Republic - парламентская республика

13. State Duma - Государственная Дума

14. Temperate - умеренный

15. Vast - обширный

II. Read the text:

The Russian Federation is the largest country in the world. It occupies about one-seventh of the earth's surface. It covers the eastern part of Europe and the northern part of Asia. Its total area is about 17 million square kilometers. The country is washed by 3 oceans: the Pacific, the Arctic and the Atlantic. In the south Russia borders on China, Mongolia, Korea, Kazakhstan, Georgia and Azerbaijan. In the west it borders on Norway, Finland, the Baltic States, Belorussia, and the Ukraine. It also has a sea-border with the USA. There is hardly a country in the world where such a variety of scenery and vegetation can be found. We have steppes in the south, plains and forests in the midland, tundra and taiga in the north, highlands and deserts in the east. There are two great plains in Russia: the Great Russian Plain and the West Siberian Lowland. There are several mountains chains on the territory of the country: the Urals, the Caucasus, the Altai and others. The largest mountain chain, the Urals, separates Europe from Asia.

There are over two million rivers in Russia. Europe's biggest river, the Volga, flows into the Caspian Sea. The main Siberian rivers - the Ob, the Yenisei and the Lena- flow from the south to the north. The Amur in the Far East flows into the Pacific Ocean.

Russia is rich in beautiful lakes. The world's deepest lake is Lake Baikal. It is much smaller than the Baltic Sea, but there is much more water in it than in the Baltic Sea. The water in the lake is so clear that if you look down you can see stones on the bottom.

Russia has one-sixth of the world's forests. They are concentrated in the European north of the country, in Siberia and in the Far East.

On the vast territory of the country there are various types of climate, from arctic in the north to subtropical in the south. In the middle of the country the climate is temperate and continental.

Russia is very rich in oil, iron ore, natural gas, copper, nickel and other mineral resources.

Russia is a parliamentary republic. The Head of State is the President. The legislative powers are exercised by the Duma.

The capital of Russia is Moscow. It is its largest political, scientific, cultural and industrial centre. It'sone of the oldest Russian cities.

At present, the political and economic situation in the country is rather complicated. There are a lot of problems in the national economy of the Russian Federation. The industrial production is decreasing. The prices are constantly rising; the rate of inflation is very high. People are losing their jobs because many factories and plants are going bankrupt. But in spite of the problems Russia is facing at present, there are a lot of opportunities for this country to become one of the leading countries in the world. I'm sure that we, the younger generation, can do very much to make Russia as strong and powerful as it used to be.

III. Say what sentences are true/false:

1. Russia covers the western part of Europe and the northern part of Asia.

2. The country is washed by 3 oceans.

3. Russia has a sea-border with the USA.

4. We have highlands and desert in the south.

5. There are two great plains in Russia.

6. The largest mountain chain, the Caucasus, separates Europe from Asia.

7. The world's deepest lake is Lake Baikal.

8. Russia is a monarchy.

9. Moscow is one of the modern Russian cities.

IV. Answer the questions:

1. What countries does Russia border on?

2. Russia is washed by the Pacific and the Arctic Ocean, isn't it?

3. What are the main rivers?

4. Is the world's deepest lake Ladoga or Baikal?

5. Are forests concentrated in the European north of the Russia?

6. Russia isn't rich in mineral recourses, is it?

7. What is the climate of Russia?

8. Are legislative powers exercised by the President?

9. What is the economic situation in the country?

V. Translate into English:

1. Она занимает около 1/7 поверхности Земли.

2. Ее общая площадь 17 млн. квадратных километров.

3. В России две главные равнины: Великая Русская равнина и Западносибирская низменность.

4. В России около двух млн. рек.

5. Амур на Дальнем Востоке впадает в Тихий Океан.

6. Вода в озере такая чистая, что если вы посмотрите вниз, вы сможете
увидеть камни на дне.

7. На обширной территории страны существуют различные типы
климата, начиная от арктического на севере до субтропического на юге.

8. Россия очень богата нефтью, железной рудой, медью, никелем и
другими минеральными ресурсами.

9. Глава государства - президент.

10. Несмотря на проблемы, с которыми Россия сталкивается сейчас,
существует много возможностей для страны стать одной из ведущих
стран мира.

VI. Complete the statements:

1. We have... in the south, in the north, in the east.

2. The Urals separates...

3. The Volga flows into...

4. Russia is rich in...

5. Moscow is the largest... centre.

VII. Think of the following questions:

1. What places of interests would you recommend your foreign guests to see?

2. Are you proud of being a citizen of Russia?

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